Palm Sunday: The Passion of the Lord

Next weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday, a day that ushers in Holy Week. This day, that draws so many to Church, is called Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. We are overfilled with Catholic Christians who carry home the palms that remind us of Jesus entering Jerusalem, hailed as King in glory.

Waving branches, we welcome Jesus into our gates, honoring the one and only King, to whom we are willing to submit our lives. Jesus approached those gates knowing he was soon to suffer death from those who were threatened by his power. Each time he healed on the Sabbath, spoke to women, dined with sinners, or confronted those in high places, he stepped closer to his crucifixion.

It is hard for many of us to believe we have already spent five weeks in Lent. Did we really enter into a deeper relationship with God? Those knots? Did I turn them over to God or am I still trying to work on things alone? Conversion is slow-going.

The beginning of our Palm Sunday liturgy finds us at the entry to Jerusalem waving palms, rejoicing with a triumphant Christ. Minutes later we are reminded, through the Passion gospel, that there is no glory without the cross. Now we are at the cross. Even Jesus surrenders his cup to the Father.

Are we ready to bear our human suffering? Yet, Christians do not recount the way of the cross without certainty of the resurrection. We do not look into the tomb without the expectation that it will be empty. The way to the cross does not end with Jesus being placed in the tomb. As people of faith we live in hope. We believe that, with Christ, life is stronger than death. Look closely at our processional cross, just beneath the corpus, and you will see an empty tomb.

As you arrive, palms will be available to take with you to your seat. Once gathered, they will be held up for blessing. Take care not to leave them in the benches or have them become a distraction at Mass.